FEES for calling the 101 non-emergency police line may be scrapped as the Home Office promised a review of the 15p charge.
The move comes after Vodafone announced it would no longer charge pay-as-you-go users, because they “tend to be more vulnerable”.
Home Secretary Sajid Javid’s department urged other mobile providers to follow Vodafone’s lead.
A Home Office spokesman said: “We welcome Vodafone’s decision and would encourage other mobile phone operators to follow their lead, whilst we review charges for the 101 non-emergency telephone number.”
The Daily Telegraph reported that Vodafone will make 101 calls free for all seven million of its pay-as-you-go users from the end of this month, exempting them from the 15p flat-rate fee.
A spokesman for the firm said: “We have been looking to make improvements for customers.
“It was decided it would be beneficial for pay-as-you-go customers who tend to be more vulnerable to zero-rate the 101 service.”
Tim Loughton, a former minister and senior member of the Home Affairs committee said: “This is great news.”
Adding: ”We need to make it easier to contact the police and I hope in return they will respond more urgently and appropriately.”
Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary had warned that the public was loving confidence in the non-emergency service and were turning to 999oto report minor offences and non-emergencies.
In a report last month, outgoing Victims Commissioner Baroness Newlove recommended reviewing the cost of 101 calls to see whether they should be free, like dialling 999.
